ProFuturo and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) have signed a collaboration agreement aimed at improving the quality of education for nearly 2,500 children in emergency situations through an innovative digital education project that seeks to create opportunities for the future in Tanzania.
The ProFuturo and IRC project, which is being implemented in 10 educational centres in the Nyarugusu and Nduta refugee camps in Tanzania, will train 226 teachers and benefit nearly 2,500 children.
The IRC was established in 1933 and helps people whose lives have been shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and rebuild. They deliver lasting impact by providing health care, helping children learn, and empowering individuals and communities to become self-reliant, always with a focus on the unique needs of women and girls. Today, the IRC serves more than 1.6 million children in over 30 countries and develops educational programmes to help children, young people and adults reach their full potential.
Tanzania is home to more than 250,025 refugees from DR Congo and Burundi, 90% of whom live in the Kigoma region in the refugee camps of Nduta and Nyarugusu. It is estimated that of the 95,049 children living in these refugee camps, only 68% (64,701) are enrolled in school, and this percentage drops sharply as school age increases, with only 8.3% of these children completing secondary education.
Education services for the refugee population have limited funding, lack of infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms, and a high degree of demotivation among teachers. Thus, the ProFuturo programme, with its commitment to technology and innovation as levers of social transformation, will mean a better quality of education for the children in the refugee camps in the Kigoma region.
The collaboration between the IRC and ProFuturo aims to empower teachers by providing them with the necessary tools to improve their teaching, and to create safe spaces where children can grow, learn and develop into their full potential. The integration of technology in education within humanitarian contexts will help children gain greater equality of opportunity by bridging the digital gap, and also promote change and improvement in the educational landscape for teachers striving to provide a better future in Tanzania.
“This collaboration between the two organisations will bear great fruit in the future lives of refugee children. The main objective of this union is the transformation of their lives through digital education. This can be achieved by encouraging the use of technology in the classroom and training teachers to acquire the necessary skills and abilities”, explains ProFuturo’s managing director, Magdalena Brier.
“The world’s most challenging problems require some of the most innovative solutions. ProFuturo’s commitment to the IRC by helping make education more accessible supports and empowers teachers and children with opportunities for their futures.” commented Ourania Dionysiou, Vice President of International Philanthropy and Partnerships at the International Rescue Committee.
